Why Is Weight Loss So Difficult?
Struggling with your weight? Vexed by endless diets and exercise routines that don’t produce any visible changes? Don’t worry – there’s always an explanation for why a person may be having trouble with weight loss.
A Constant War with the Scale: Why Fad Diets Don’t Work
The logic of weight loss is simple: eat less and burn more. This combination works best when a person’s metabolism is optimal. Metabolism is the rate at which food consumed is converted into usable fuel. It is the key to weight loss.
A person with high metabolism sees favorable results when they are on a calorie-restricting diet, while those with low metabolism may feel like even just the act of breathing makes them put on weight.
Fad diets, even with high metabolism, are of little help. Dieting is not the solution, because it induces neurological changes. To understand the impact of neurological changes, the brain’s reward system must be explained.
The brain promotes selective activities depending on the reward system. When the reward is high, there is a flood of endorphins and other “feel-good” hormones. An example of such a reward system is the happy feeling you experience when you eat a bar of chocolate. Take the bar of chocolate away and a flood of negative emotion is experienced.
Dieting creates a flux in the reward system, and because of this, those on a diet can sometimes go off track and binge on unhealthy food.
Insulin Resistance and Compromised Metabolism
Every food group consumed is broken down into simple forms in the stomach through the process of digestion. Most starch and carbohydrate-based foods, such as potatoes and white rice, are converted into simpler energy sources like glucose. Glucose regulation in the body happens because of a specific hormone called insulin.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Apart from regulating blood-glucose levels, insulin plays an additional role in fat storage. The primary role of insulin is to lower blood glucose and fat levels.
Some individuals are insulin-resistant and because of this, their body is unable to absorb glucose, which is redirected to the fat cells. The body is deprived of fuel and starts to feel hungry again.
These individuals consume food but are unaware that it isn’t actually getting absorbed. The result: They are constantly hungry and are fighting a losing battle with weight loss.
Workout Plateau
Inconsistent workouts can also explain why you’re having trouble losing weight. At a certain point, after enough physical activity, the body reaches a plateau. In this situation, you might be working out twice a day and eating everything the dietician recommended but still fail to see results.
The solution is to change things up and do activities you love. It may be going on a weekend hike, jogging, or playing a sport. The trick is to constantly vary your physical activities.
Learn More from a Weight-Loss Professional
If you want to see changes, loosen up a little and go easy on yourself. Losing weight when you are on the edge is impossible – to see results, you need to give yourself time and be consistent with your efforts.
To learn more about effective ways to lose weight and keep it off, contact our office and set up your informative consultation.